Index or display device



(No Modem 2 sneets-sheef 1.

J. A. EISCEEE.

INDEX 0E DISPLAY DEVICE.

No'. 530,987. Patented Dec. I8, 1894.

2 Sheats-Sheen. 2.

(No Model.)

; .I. A. FISCHER. g

INDEX 0R DISPLAY DPVICE.` No. 530.987. Patented Dec. 18, 1894'.

gf. y JF y vUNITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE'.

JACOB AfFISCHER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

INDEX oR.D|sP| AY DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersflatent No. 530,987, dated December I8, 1894. Application nea nach 26,1894. sein No. 505,157. (No maar To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, J Acos A. FISCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Index or Display Devices; andkI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will enable others real estate offices and may be placed .to use. in all lines of business Whore it is necessary.

to keep a consecutive arrangement ofl the titles, names, or list ofthe articles controlled therebyL and to which ready reference may rbe had.

The object of my invention is to provide a device simple in its construction, durable, easily operated, which shall occupy onlya small amount of ioor space, which shall be inexpensive, and which will permit the matter sought to be examined to be quickly brought into view by theoperator. y

In order to more thoroughly understand my invention reference must be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein- Y Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional side elev vation of my device, taken on line y-y Fig.

3. Fig.2 is a cross sectional end elevation taken on line och-oo Fig. 3, and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is atop plan view of the machine with top removed. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional end elevation of Fig. 3, taken on line :v -w. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the` guide plates or bars for holding the index sheet or plate. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the operating handle for lifting or throwing the index sheet o r plate into view. Fig. 7 is a modilication of the mechanism for operating the index sheet lifting caml' The letter A indicates the outer casing or frame of the machine, which is provided with the hinged cover A', which cover is provided with a glass top, not shown. Within the casing or frame I secure the cross pieces or plates B, B,which plates extend upwardly to a height equal to the top of the index sheet or plates, although this feature is immaterial. These cross pieces serve as a bearing for the worm shaft B2, to one end ofwhich is secured the pinion B3, which intermeshes `with the gearv C, secured to the outer end 'of shaft C. This shaft runs the entire length-of the casing parallel with the worm shaft B2, and one end thereof projects through the casing and has the handle C2 fastened thereon, by means of which handle the shaft C is rotated.

Upon the worm shaft travels forward and Y backward the open carriage D. This carriage is caused to travel by the rotation of the worm` contacts therewith the said shaft is partiallyv rotated, the lpartialxrotation or oscillation of which shaft causes the index sheet or plate to be lifted or raised by means of a traveling .cam as hereinafter more fully described. The

cam D2 is maintained downward by the pressure of springDt Consequently the moment v cam D3 moves from engagement with the cam D? the pressure of spring D4 forces same downward. While it is believed this cam will be of suflicient Weight to fall by gravity, still in order that a positive and quick fall be insured the spring `aforesaid is provided.

Within the carrier or carriage D is placed the curved finger cam E, the reduced end of which bears upon the longitudinal support a., when lowered. The shaft D passes through this cam, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and upon this shaft the cam rides as carried laterally by the movement of the traveling carriage. On the shaft D is fixed a key or feather b, which extends the entire length thereof and lits loosely within a key seat cut within the cam E, as shown, so that the cam is permitted ICO a free lateral motion with the movement of the carriage. Consequently as the said shaft is oscillated, by the rotary cam D3, engaging with cam D2, the cam E is raised and lowered.

The carriage D bears upon the supporting lugs, shoulder or slides E' projecting inwardly from the sides of the outerframe or casing and thus releases the worm shaft, shafts C' and D of the weight of the said carriage which would otherwise fall upon the said shafts, thus overcoming friction.

The end plates or cross pieces B, B are united bylongitudinal side pieces E2, E2, thus forming what may be termed an inner frame. Upon these side pieces bear the guide plates E, `each of which has a guide groove c, cut therein. The lower end of the plates or bars E4 I reduce so as toform a shoulder c', which shoulder fits within the longitudinal space d, left between the side pieces E2, Es and inner wall of the outerframe. See Figs. 2 and 4. By thus securing the plates or bars the same are maintained in a vertical position. These guide bars or plates are arranged on each side of the machine in rows and between the same I secure the index sheets or plates F, the side edges of which loosely fit within the guide grooves of the said guide bars. These index sheets or plates when lowered rest upon the side pieces E2, E2. Under these plates travel the carriage D, and each time the cam E is raised by the oscillation of the shaft D', one of the plates is lifted above the line ot' the others so as to enable the operator to read the index or head line thereon. It is obvious that as the carriage travels the entire length of the machine by the rotation of the worm shaft, the cam E will raise or lift each index sheet or plate in succession. Each index sheet or plate has a heading printed thereon which denotes the contents of each plate. Consequently as each plate is raised it is only necessary that the voperator see the top thereof in order to ascertain at a glance whether the sheet or plate contains the subject matter sought for. This partial lift is carried out by the cam being raised with the oscillatory movement of the shaft D'. Theseindex sheets or plates are divided by means of the guide strips e, into three or more spaces. See Fig. 4. Into these spaces I slip or insert the names or titles of all articles or books, on hand, contained within the letters indicated by the head line of the plates. As a book or article is acquired a card or slip is inserted within one of the spaces of the index sheet or plate. Hence the operator can note the condition of the library or goods by merely glancing at the sheet or late. p The guide plate or bars E4 may be removed or changed as desired, for the reason that the guide bars are made removable and separate from each other. Hence by merely removing one set of guide bars, or the last one on each side, and shifting or sliding all plates and bars beyond the plate or place desired to insert a new sheet one space, and inserting therein the removed guide bars a new or fresh plate or sheet may be secured. By this manner of shifting the plates and guide bars I obviate the necessity of withdrawing each succeedin g sheet and setting same backward one space at a time, as in my case both the bars and sheets are free to slide upon the supporting side pieces. Hence danger of the plates becoming mixed while being shifted or changed is overcome.

When the desired index sheet has been found it. is necessary that the same be lifted nearly its entire height in order that the contents of the sheet maybe exposed to view and Ithe contents thereof read by the operator. This is accomplished by throwing the cam E upward its full distance, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4. In order to accomplish this throwing of the cam I secure to the outer end of shaft D the handle F. By throwing this handle over a half rotation is given to the shaft, which causes the cam E to move upward its full distance, hence elevating the in-` dex sheet or plate to such a height as to permit the matter contained thereon to clear the other sheets or plates.

I cut within the handle F the slotf, which permits the feather or key of the shaft D. to move therein during the oscillatory movement of the shaft. This permits of lost motion and prevents the handle from moving up or down as the shaft is `oscillated for the purpose of throwing the cam E as it travels under the index sheet or plates. y

At times it is preferable that the shaft D' only move when it is desired to elevate the cam E its full height. This is the case when themachine is of large size and considerable power would be required to throw the shaft D' with each movement of the cam E. In order to avoid this continuous oscillation of the shaft D', I cut an enlarged opening or slotf, within the cam E, see Fig. 7, so as to allow of lost motion, thus permitting the cam to have a limited movement without 'engaging with the key or feather on the shaft. In this case I impart an oscillating motion to the cam, but not to the shaft, the shaft only being rotated when it is desired to throw the cam its full height, the feather or key then engaging with the shoulder formed by the slot cut in the cam and causing the same to move with the shaft. When the cam E is thus secured to the shaft D', the same is oscillated by means of the cam F2, secured within the carriage D, which cam rides upon lthe shaft C with the movement of the carriage. As this shaft is rotated the cain F2 engages with the inner end of the cam D' and throws the same upward to a height suicient to raise one index sheet above the others in order that the operator may be permitted to inspect the head line thereof. The cam F2 is feathered to the shaft C' in a manner similar to cam D', so as to allow of a lateral movement upon the shaft. If the shaft C be extended through both ends of the machine or outer frame a IOO IIO

handlemay be secured to each end and the machine be operated from either end. When the machine is constructed to be operated from either end display matter may be sedevice or as a picture exhibitor without changt ing the construction thereof.

The upper portion of the ends of the outer casing is composed of glass in order that the operator may see the index sheets or plates as raised within the frame.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure protection in by- Letters Patent, is

1. In an index or display device, the combination with the vertically movable index sheets or plates, of the movable carriage traveling beneath the index sheets, the cam carried'thereby, and mechanism for throwing the cam vertically in order to raise one of the index sheets. i Y

2. In an index or display device, the combination with the worm shaft, of mechanism, for imparting motion thereto, carriage mounted upon the worm shaft, said carriagecaused to travel back and forth with the vmovement of the worm shaft, cam carried by the traveling carriage, vertically movable index sheets, and mechanism for raising the cam in order to elevate the index sheets.

3. In an index or display device, the combination with the frame, of the movable index sheets secured therein, the movable carriage secured beneath the index sheets, mechansm for imparting lateral movement to the carriage, and a device carried by the carriage for raising the index sheets.

'4. In an index or display device, the combination with the frame, ofthe index sheets secured therein, the worm shaft, the parallel shafts, the carriage secured to theworm shaft, cam working upon one of the parallel shafts and carried by the carriage, mechanism for imparting the'motion of the opposite shaft to the worm shaft so as to cause lateral travel of the carriage and cam, of mechanism for throwing lthe cam in order to raise the index or display sheets as the cam travels thereunder.

5. The combination with the frame, of the vertical guide strips, removably secured and horizontally movable therein, the vertically movable index sheets mounted in said guide strips, and mechanism for raising said sheets to permit an inspection of the same.

6. The combination with the frame, and longitudinal side pieces therein, of vertical guide plates having theirlower ends fitting between the said side pieces and the sides of the frame and provided with shouldersresting on the side pieces, index sheets mounted in said guide strips andmechanism for raising the index sheets.

7. Thecombination with-the frame, of vertically movable index sheets mounted therein, and mechanism for raising said sheets, said mechanism being longitudinally movable within the frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB A. FISCHER.

Witnesses:

N. A. AOKER, LEE D. CRAIG. 

